Supporting bracket for multiple clothes hangers



April 20, 1965 c. UNDERWOOD 3,179,256 SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR MULTIPLE CLOTHES HANGERS Filed Feb. 10, 1964 w w w, l I l I! 1 M 2 1- i '1 i Q I wi l INVENTOR. 22 CLEM LJNDERwOoD BY IO T151 :3 JTW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,179,256 SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR IVIULTIPLE CLOTHES HANGERS Clem Underwood, 321 Martin Drive, Aptos, Calif.

, Filed Feb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 343,754

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-118) Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a supporting bracket having hooks formed on a pair of hanger straps, these hooks being engageable with the molding strips so as to removably anchor the bracket in place.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a supporting bracket that may be easily disengaged from the molding strips by merely pushing the bracket upwardly relative to the wall above the door opening.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of my supporting bracket for multiple clothes hangers, the hooks on the hanger straps being shown in full lines as engaging with molding strips on a sectionalized wall above a door opening, the dot-dash lines indicating the bracket in a raised position with the hooks being disengaged from the molding strips; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the vertical plane 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that I have provided a supporting bracket designated generally at A, and including a bar 10 constituting a support for a plurality of conventional clothes hangers B. Moreover, the bracket A defines a pair of hanger straps 11-11 having their lower ends secured to the bar 10 to support the latter. Each hanger strap 11 is fashioned with a hook 12 at its upper end, and these hooks project toward one another so as to be engageable over molding strips 13-13 that are mounted on opposite faces 14-14 of a wall C over a door opening D, with the bar 10 being disposed in this opening.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the hanger straps 11-11 are secured to the bar 16 at substantially the midpoint of the latter, and the bar has sufficient length to project beyond the opposite faces 14-14 of the Wall C. This arrangement will permit a plurality of clothes hangers B to be supported on the bar 19 on opposite end sections thereof. The clothes hangers B are adapted to have v ironed garments placed thereon. Notches 15 of any suitable shape may be formed in the bar 10 to receive books 16 on the clothes hangers.

The lower ends of the hanger straps 11-11 are swingably connected to the bar 10 by a bolt 17, the axis of this bolt extending transversely relative to the bar. Thus the ice hooks 12-12 may be swung toward one another so as to engage over the molding strips 13-13, as shown on solid lines in FIGURE 1.

It will be apparent that the hanger straps 11-11 diverge upwardly from the bolt 17, the latter providing the swingable connection between the hanger straps 11-11 and the bar 10. The hanger straps have inclined inner edges 18-18 that will cam against the molding strips 13-13 to automatically disengage the hooks 12 from the molding strips, when the supporting bracket A is pushed upwardly relative to the wall C, as illustrated by dot-dash lines in FIGURE 1.

The hanger straps 11-11 are swingable into folded position extending lengthwise of the bar 10, as suggested by the arrows 19. This will provide a compact unit for packaging and/ or storage.

In order to retain the hanger straps 11-11 in a position wherein their hooks 12-12 engage with the molding strips 13-13, a wing nut 20 has been provided on the threaded end of the bolt 17. As shown in FIGURE 2, the other end of the bolt may have an enlarged head 21 that is shaped to project inwardly of a washer 22 so as to grip the adjacent hanger strap 11 (left side of FIG- URE 2), when the nut 20 is tightened. Also, this head may be grasped in one hand while the nut 20 is tightened by the other hand of an operator so that the bolt will be held against turning. The same bolt 17 and nut 20 may be used to hold the hanger straps in folded position relative to the bar 10.

It will be seen from FIGURE 1 that each hanger strap 11 is substantially 7-shaped in outline.

Of course, any suitable material, such as wood, plastic, plywood, etc., may be used for the bar 10 and the hanger straps 11-11, and that the supporting bracket A may be made in any desired size and dimensions.

I claim:

1. A supporting bracket for multiple clothes hangers comprising:

(a) a bar constituting a support for multiple clothes hangers;

(b) a pair of hanger straps having their lower ends swingably secured to the bar to support the latter;

(c) each hanger strap being fashioned with a hook at its upper end;

(at) the hooks projecting toward one another so as to be engageable over molding strips that are mounted on opposite faces of a wall over a door opening, with the bar being disposed in said opening;

(2) the upper ends of the hanger straps being swingable toward and away from one another so as to be engaged with and disengaged from the molding strips, respectively;

(7) the hanger straps diverging upwardly relative to one another from their swingable connection with the bar;

(g) the hanger straps having inclined inner edges that will cam against the molding strips to automatically disengage the hooks from the molding strips, when the supporting bracket is pushed upwardly relative to said wall;

(11) the hanger straps being swingable about an axis extending transversely relative to the bar;

(1) the bar having its end sections projecting substantially the same distance to each side of the axis;

(j) the hanger straps being swingable into folded position extending lengthwise relative to the bar;

(It) and means operable to lock the hanger straps in any position to which they are swung.

2. supporting bracket for multiple clothes hangers comprising:

(a) a bar constituting a support for multiple clothes hangers;

about said axis toward one another so as to be en- 10 gageable over molding strips that are mounted on opposite faces of a wall over a door opening, with the bar adapted to be disposed in such opening;

(a) the upper ends of the hanger straps being swingable away from one another about said axis so as to disengage the hooks from molding strips;

( the hanger straps diverging upwardly relative to one another from their swingable connection with the bar, when the hooks are engaged over molding strips;

(g) and the hanger straps having unobstructed inclined inner edges that will cam against molding strips to automatically swing the hanger straps apart about said axis to disengage the hooks from molding strips, when the supporting bracket is pushed upwardly. I

3. The supporting bracket for multiple clothes hangers,

as set forth in claim 2:

(h) and in which the swingable connection is provided by a bolt and nut, and being operable to clamp the hanger straps in any position into which they are swung about said axis, the bolt extending through the hanger straps and bar.

References Qited by the Examiner UN ITED STATES PATENTS 917,314 4/09 Knuth 223-96 1,299,003 4/ 19 Morris 248-262 1,409,800 3/22 Turner 182-129 2,956,502 4/ 34 Galatowitsch 248343 2,167,794 8/39 Bentz 297277 2,523,682 9/50 Corwin 312-3 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,948,014 2/34 Tuttle. 2,271,941 2/ 42 Kernmitt. 2,643,777 6/ 53 Pickens. 2,699,263 1/55 Ore. 3,029,952 4/62 Bagdon.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. V 

1. A SUPPORTING BRACKET FOR MULTIPLE CLOTHES HANGERS COMPRISING: (A) A BAR CONSTITUTING A SUPPORT FOR MULTIPLE CLOTHES HANGERS; (B) A PAIR OF HANGER STRAPS HAVING THEIR LOWER ENDS SWINGABLY SECURED TO THE BAR TO SUPPORT THE LATTER; (C) EACH HANGER STRAP BEING FASHIONED WITH A HOOK AT ITS UPPER END; (D) THE HOOKS PROJECTING TOWARD ONE ANOTHER SO AS TO BE ENGAGEABLE OVER MOLDING STRIPS THAT ARE MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE FACES OF A WALL OVER A DOOR OPENING, WITH THE BAR BEING DISPOSED IN SAID OPENING; (E) THE UPPER ENDS OF THE HANGER STRAPS BEING SWINGABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER SO AS TO BE ENGAGED WITH AND DISENGAGED FROM THE MOLDING STRIPS, RESPECTIVELY; 